Mohammed Alidu was born into the Bizung lineage of talking drum chiefs of Northern Ghana, studying with his father from the age of 3 years old. Alidu’s father taught him the history of Dagbon, the indigenous culture of his people, including traditional songs and the language of the talking drum, as his ancestors had done before him. By the age of 5, Alidu was accompanying his father to performances at the King’s palace. At the age of 22, Alidu joined the prestigious National Dance Ensemble at the University of Ghana as a principal drummer, touring throughout Ghana and in the US for the next 5 years. Alidu’s talent further spread to an international sphere, as he was then recruited into the Adzido Pan-African Ensemble based in the U.K., where he spent the next 4 years touring throughout Europe. Besides Ghana and the U.K., Alidu has lived and played in Madagascar, New York, Los Angeles, and Colorado. In 2007, Alidu’s enchanting voice and mesmerizing world rhythms caught the attention of the Grammy-award winning Executive Producer and Sound Engineer, Mark Johnson, of the world renowned Playing for Change Foundation. A wonderful collaboration ensued, as Alidu became one of the original members of the international Playing for Change Band. The partnership also lead to the founding of the second Playing for Change school. The Bizung School of Music and Dance, located in Alidu’s hometown, was opened in 2010. The Bizung School offers free music and dance instruction to local children, including traditional music as well as Western styles. “The way we learned music before doesn’t exist anymore,” Alidu says of his people. “I used to sit at my Father’s feet every night to learn the history of Dagbon and the proverbs, stories and patterns of the talking drum. Our history is not written, it’s all oral and spoken through the music and so the school is the place that can pass along the tradition and history for the younger generation to understand where they come from, in order to know where they can go.”
Currently residing back in his hometown of Tamale, in the northern region of Ghana, Alidu has come full circle, weaving together his tapestry of unique world experiences in his newest album, “All in 1 Love.” Alidu reflects, “This album is the story of my journey, the journey of the people I met, the love that we share through music. It’s all about how we can heal ourselves and each other with music and an open heart and an open mind. It’s all in One Love, and that is what heals us.”
With one foot in his 1000-year old family legacy of earthy and pulsing Bizung rhythms, and another in the international world music scene, Alidu’s music transports listeners to another time and place. Alidu’s debut album, released in 2007, entitled “Asisawa,” captivates with traditional drums and vocals, honoring his family’s legacy. His second release in 2010, “Land of Fire,” is filled with soaring vocals, warm electric and acoustic guitars and playful horns. It’s a journey of sounds and rhythms that resonates with the works of such legends as King Sunny Ade, Amadou and Miriam, and others.
“I think if you open yourself up to others, they will open themselves up to you,” Alidu explains. “What I do, I do from my heart, and so far, everywhere I’ve traveled people seem to embrace that.”